Signaling device for party-line telephones.



T. KERNAN.

SIGNALING DEVICE FOR PARTY LINE TBLEPHONES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 8, 1912.

Patented Mar. 17, 1914.

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SIGNALING DEVICE FOR PARTY LINE TELEPHONES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 8, 1912 1,090,621, Patented Mar. 17, 1914.

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WITNESSES f INVENTOR (29/ 77 075 //Ffifl/f7/J W By ATTORNEYS COLUMBIA FLANOGRAFII CO,\\'ASHINGTQN' n. c.

T. KERN AN.

SIGNALING DEVICE FOR PARTY LINE TELEPHONES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 8, 1912.

Patented Mar. 17, 1914.

3 SHEETS-EHEET 3.

WITNESSES COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH COHWASHINGTCN. I). c.

THOMAS KERNAN, OF EAST ST.

CLOUD, MINNESOTA.

SIGNALING DEVICE FOR PARTY-LINE TELEPHONES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 17 1914.

Application filed August 8, 1912. Serial N 0. 714,036.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS KERNAN, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of East St. Cloud, in the county of Benton and State of Minnesota, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Signaling Devices for Party-Line Telephones, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in devices for sending signals over party line telephones to indicate to a user of the telephone whether a person other than the party with whom he desires to talk has taken down or has put up his receiver, and also to indicate the identity of the party who is listening in, and it consists of the combinations, constructions and arrangements herein described and claimed.

The main object of my invention is to prevent a custom which is common .among subscribers to a party line system, namely, that of taking down the receiver and listening to a conversation by two other parties on the line. In order to accomplish this I provide means by which the name of the party who takes down his receiver to listen in may be made known to the parties who are talking.

A further object of my invention is to provide simple apparatus which may be readily attached to instruments of the ordinary type for accomplishing the above named object, and without interfering in any way with the operation of the circuit.

A further object of my invention is to provide novel auxiliary devices which are simple and inexpensive to manufacture, but which are reliable and efficient.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, and the novel features of the device will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming part of this application, in which similar reference characters indicate like parts in the several views, and in which- Figure 1 is a view showing a telephone set with my invention applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a detailed view of a switching device used in connection with my improve-d apparatus; Fig. 3 is an edge view of the switch shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the receiver hook; Fig. 5 is a face View of a ratchet and locking dog therefor; Fig. 6 is a face view of a portion of the signaling mechanism; Fig. 7 is a side view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a face view of a modified form of signaling mechanism; and Fig. 9 is a side view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 8.

Referring now to Fig. 1, I have shown therein the sides 1, the back 2, and the cover or door 3 of av telephone case, the cover being connected with the sides by the hinges 4. A battery 5 is disposed within the case while the customary receiver 6, and transmitter 7, are mounted thereon in the usual manner. At 8 I have shown the receiver hook. The bells 9 are operated by the magneto 10 which is provided with a crank 11. The induct-ion coil is shown at 12. A series of spring contacts 14, 15, 16, 19, 20 and 21 are controlled by the receiver hook in the manner hereinafter described.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 1 and 6, I have shown therein a base or frame 22 which may be secured to the case in any suitable manner. The base 22 has an up right 23 at one end and an upright 24 at one 'side. The end of the base opposite the upright 23 is provided with an electric motor 25.

The motor shaft 26 extends from the motor to the upright 23 which has a suitable bearing 23 at its top. On the shaft 26 is a screw or worm 27 which engages a worm wheel 28 which is mounted on a stud 29 held by the support 24. The wheel 28 carries a pin 31 which is arranged to engage a star wheel 30 supported on a stud 32 carried by the upright 24. The star wheel bears a pin 33 on one of its points, while the wheel 28 has a series of pins 34 projecting from the wheel on the opposite side from the pin 31. Spring contacts 35 and 36 are carried by the base 22 but are insulated therefrom. A spring contact 37 is carried upon the frame of the motor 25, but is insulated from it. 38 is a contact secured to, but insulated from a lug 39 which is carried by the support 24. At 47 I have shown a switch which is arranged to engage certain contacts for switching on or off the signaling mechanism, also for opening or closing the transmitter and receiver circuits. These contacts are indicated at 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45 and 46. The switch 47 is operated by means of two electromagnets 48 and 49 respectively. An armature 50 is provided for the switch 47, the latter being preferably made of brass or other good conducting metal. The switch 47 is mounted on a stationary brass plate 51 in such a way that it can rock back and forth and be always in electrical contact with it. In addition to the block the switch is pro vided with a lug 52 and with a stud on the opposite side from the lug. 5 1 and 55 de note brass plates which are insulated from the switch 17 by the insulating strips 56. The plate 55 extends across the switch 17 and a lug or arm 57.

Referring now to Fig. i I have shown therein the receiver hook 8 which is provided with a ratchet 58, and which is designed to be located just inside of the telephone case. It is a little wider and more than twice as long as the opening in the case through which the lever projects, thus covering the opening at all times.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a doubled toothed dog 59 which is fastened to the case on one side of the opening in such a way as to catch in the teeth of the ratchet 58 as it is raised or lowered. The ratchet 58 is provided with upper and lower lugs 60 and (51 respectively, which are arranged to engage the respective teeth 62 and (33. The dog is provided with a slot 59 in which is a bolt 6 1 which projects through an opening 59 in the dog, as shown in Fig. This bolt also projects through an opening 72 in the flange of the base plate P. A spring surrounds the bolt- 64 and bears at one end on it, and at the other upon the flange p By the arrangement just described the receiver must be raised clear up before it can be put down, or it must go clear down be fore it can be raised up, for it will be seen that in the position shown in Fig. 5 the ratchet will be permitted to rise, the tooth 62 of the dog preventing a downward movement. hen the lug 61 engages the tooth 63 however, it will turn the dog so as to bring the tooth (32 out of engagement with the teeth of the ratchet. The bolt (it will now be shifted to the underside of the dog and the spring 65 will hold the tooth 63 in engagement with the teeth of the ratchet. The receiver hook must be moved clear down before the lug 60 will engage the tooth 62.

Referring now to Fig. 1, I have shown a spring 69 which is for the purposeof raising the receiver hook when the receiver 6 is removed. On the laterally extending portion 8 of the receiver hook are the two insulated studs 7 O and 71, the former for the purpose of depressing the spring contact 15, and the latter for the purpose of momentarily depressing the spring contact 20 whenever the receiver hook is raised or lowered. On one side of the lever is a lug 72 which is arranged to be engaged by the stud 53 on the switch 4L7, as will be explained later.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device the operation thereof may be readlly understood. lVhen the receiver 6 is taken off from the hook the spring 69 will cause the latter to rise. The

stud 71 on the extension 8 of the receiver hook comes in contact with, and depresses, the spring contact 20 so as to make a momentary contact with the spring 21. This closes a circuit through the magnet t9 and energizes it. The path of the circuit is from battery 5 through wire 105, plate 51, Wire 100, electromagnet 19, wir 92, contacts 21 and 20, and by Wire 95 to battery 5. The electromagnet 49 thus energized draws the block 50 with the attached switch 47 to the position shown in Fig. 2 in full lines and in dotted lines in Fig. 1. As soon as the stud 71 passes over the raised part of the spring 20, the latter resumes its former position and the circuit is broken. The receiver hook 8 has been raised high enough so that the stud 53 carried by the switch 17 has passed under the lug 72 on the receiver hook or lever 8, thus locking the latter up until the signal has been given, as hereinafter explained. The movement of the switch 47 into its dottedline position also completes the circuit from battery 5 through the wire 105, plate 51, switch 47, lug 52, contact 40, 93, motor 25, wires 99 and 95 to battery 5. The circuit of the motor being completed, the latter turns the shaft 26 which carries the worm wheel 27. This drives the gear 28 and causes the pins 34 to come into contact with the spring contact 35, moving it so as to engage the contact 37. At each engage ment between the springs 35 and 37 a circuit is closed through the primary winding of the induction coil 12, the path of this circuit being as follows: from battery 5 through wire 105, plate 51, switch 4-7, contact 40, wire 93, wire 97, binding post 108, spring 35, contact 37, wires 98 and 91, primary winding of coil 12, wires 85 and 86, contact 41, plate 55 on'lug 57, contact 45, wires 89 and 101, springs 19 and 20, wire 95 to battery 5. This causes a like secondary current in the secondary winding of the coil which is transmitted by the line wires 73 and 89 to any receiver that is connected in the circuit. The path of the secondary circuit is as follows: from the secondary winding of the coil 12 through wires 84, 86, contact 41, plate 55, contact 45, wire 89, over the line wires, wires 73 to contact 13, plate 54, contact 4-2 and through wires 83 and 82 to the secondary winding of the coil. The result of these impulses as heard in a receiver, will correspond to the call ring of the telephone whose receiver is taken down or hung up. These rings consist of a short or a long ring, or several combinations of both. The gear or wheel 28, as illustrated in Fig. 6, carries four pins 34 arranged so as to represent a call consisting of a short, a long, and a short ring, which will be the call ring for that telephone, illustrated thus in which the dots represent sounds and the dashes intervals of time between the rings. Another telephone on the same line would have a difl'erent combination to agree with its call. One pin alone represents a short ring, and two pins close together a long ring. The pins are so arranged on the wheel or gear 28 that there will be an equal interval of time between each successive long and short ring, with a greater length of time between the successive calls. The call will be repeated several times in succession, so that any one listening to a receiver that is connected into the circuit will be able to make sure of the name of the party who owns the telephone, and who has interrupted or listened in during the conversation.

The number of times the call will be given and the length of time the machine will run is regulated by the star wheel 30. There will be one call for each revolution of the wheel 28 and one revolution of the wheel 28 for each tooth in the wheel 30. In this case there are siX points or teeth on the star wheel 30. There will therefore be six signals sent in. This number might be changed to three by placing another pin 33 on the opposite tooth from the one which bears the present pin 33, and in addition to the latter. The star wheel 30 is driven one tooth at a time by the pin 31. The pin 33 comes into contact with the spring 36 once in each of its revolutions in such a way as to press it against the contact 38 thus completing a circuit through the electromagnet 48 as follows: battery 5, 105, plate 51, wire 107, magnet 48, wire 94, contact 38, spring 36, binding post 109 and wires 96 and 95 back to battery.

The energized electromagnet 48 draws the block 50 and the attached switch 47 back to the position shown in Fig. 1, thus breaking the circuit of the motor at the contact 40. The pin 33 passes up over the end of the spring 36 which springs back to place and breaks the circuit through the electromagnet 48. The contacts 44 and 46 are terminals for a receiver and a transmitter wire respectively, so that when the switch 47 is in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 and in full lines in Fig. 2 the receiver and the transmitter are cut out of their respective circuits and nothing can be heard or said through the telephone until after the signal has been given. As soon as the signal has been given the switch 47 moves back to the position shown in Fig. 1, as explained above, and carries the stud 53 from under the lug '7 2, thus permitting the receiver hook or lever 8 to be lowered if so desired. The lug 52 engages the contact 46. The electrical connection between the contacts 41 and 45 is broken and contact is made between the plates 43 and 44 by the plate 54, thus establishing the regular telephone circuit. When the receiver hook or lever is lowered the above operations are repeated. In this case the stud 53 will pass over lug 72 thus locking the receiver hook or lever down until the signal has been given. The primary circuit starting from the battery 5, is through the wire 105, plate 51, switch 47, lug 52, contact 46, wire 90, transmitter 7, wire 91, primary winding of coil 12, wires 85, 86, 88, spring contacts 14 and 15, since the lever is up, wires 102, 89, 101, contacts 19 and 20, and by wire 95 to battery. The secondary circuit, starting from the secondary winding of the coil 12, will pass over the wires 84, 86 and 88, spring contacts 14 and 15, wires 102 and 89, over the line wire, wire 73, contact 43, plate 54, contact 44, wire 80, receiver 6, wires 81 and 82 to the secondary winding of coil 12. The bell circuit is the ordinary circuit as shown starting at magneto 10, through wire 76, upper hinge 4, coils of bell 9, wire '78, lower hinge 4, wire 79, spring contacts 16 and 15, wires 102 and 89, over the line wires, wires 73, 74 and 100 to magneto 10. A call would pass around magneto 10 on the wire 75.

Referring now to Figs. 8 and 9, I have shown therein a modified form of signaling device in which the name of the owner of the telephone, or his phone number, may be transmitted instead of the code signal. This apparatus consists of a disk 112 of any material suitable for phonographic records, fastened to the face of the gear wheel 28. This disk is designed to take the place of the pins 34 shown in the other form of the device. In this modification the support 113 is a prolongation of the support 24 shown in the other form. At the top of the support 113 is a stud 114 upon which is mounted the arm 115 which supports the transmitter 116. This consists of a receptacle having therein granulated carbon A, a back electrode B, and a front electrode C. A lug 117 projects from the transmitter 116 to which is pivotally secured a lever 118. This lever 118 has a jeweled needle 120 arranged to follow a groove on the periphery of the disk. The lever is attached near its center to a stud or boss 119 on the front electrode C. The disk 112 is turned by the gear 28 through the mechanism which has already been described. The groove on the periplr cry of the disk corresponds to the name of the owner of the telephone or the telephone number, and as the needle follows the groove the vibration causes the pressure on the granulated carbon A to vary and consequently the resistance of the transmitter to vary in a similar manner. The wire which supplies current to the front electrode C is shown at 121. 122 is an extension of the back electrode B, and is also the support of the transmitter. A binding post 123 has a wire 98 leading from it. The groove 124 is a complete circle, and hence the revolution &

of the disk 112 will cause the name of the owner of the telephone and the number to be transmitted at each revolution. The wire 98 connects with the primary winding of the coil 12 and both telephone circuits are complete while the machine is running. The wire 121 connects with a binding post 110 which forms one termnial of the motor 25. The terminal 110 is connected by means of the wire 93 with the contact 40 in the same manner as shown in Fig. 1. The transmitter and receiver are cut out of their respective circuits while the signal is being given as explained above. It will be seen that the difference between these two forms is that instead of code signal being sent the form shown in Figs. 8 and 9 sends the actual name or the spoken number of the interfering telephone.

The object of the invention, as stated before, is to inform the parties who are conversing of the identity of the party whose telephone is being used for listening in to the conversation on the line. It will be understood therefore that the term audible signal as used in the following claims is intended to include the name of the owner of the interfering telephone, or the spoken number of the interfering telephone.

I claim:

1. In a party line telephone system, a receiver, a transmitter, a receiver hook, means for raising the receiver hook when the re ceiver is removed, spring contacts operated by said receiver hook, a switch controlled by said spring contacts, a signal sending de vice, a motor for operating said signal device, said motor being controlled by said switch, and means for preventing the lowering of the receiver hook until after the signal is sent.

2. In a party line telephone system, a receiver, a transmitter, a receiver hook, means for raising the receiver hook when the receiver is removed, spring contacts operated by said receiver hook, a switch controlled by said spring contacts, a signal sending device, a motor for operating said signal device, said motor being controlled by said switch, means carried by said switch for engaging the receiver hcok to prevent the lowering of the latter, and electro-magnetic means controlled by said signaling device for causing the operation of the switch and the release of the receiver hook.

3. In a party line telephone system, a receiver, a transmitter, a receiver hook, means for raising the receiver hock when the receiver is removed, spring contacts operated by said receiver hook, a switch controlled by said spring contacts, a signal sending device, a motor for operating sa d signal device, said motor being controlled by said switch, means carried by said switch for engaging the receiver hook to prevent the lowering of the latter, and electro-magnetic means controlled by said signaling device for caus ing the operation of the switch and the release of the receiver hook, the return of the switch to its normal position serving to establish a talking circuit through the receiver and transmitter.

4. In a party line telephone system, a receiver, a transmitter, line wires, means actuated by the removal of the receiver from the hook for automatically transmitting an audible signal over the line wires for identifying the telephone, means for preventing the lowering of the receiver hook until said signals are sent, and means actuated by the lowering of the receiver hook for causing a repetition of the signal.

5. In a party line telephone system, a re ceiver, a transmitter, line wires, means actuated by the removal of the receiver from the hook for automatically transmitting an audible signal over the line wires for identifying the telephone, means for preventing the lowering of the receiver hook until said signals are sent, means actuated by the lowering of the receiver hook for causing a repetition of the signal, and means for preventing the subsequent raising of the receix'er hook until the repeated signal has been sent.

(3. In a telephone set, a receiver hook, a spring for raising said receiver hook when the receiver is removed, and means for preventing the lowering of the receiver hook until after it has attained its highest position.

7. In a telephone set, a receiver hook, a spring for raising said receiver hook when the receiver is removed, and means for preventing a subsequent raising of the hook until after it has been brought to its lowest position.

8. In a telephone set, a receiver hook, a spring for raising said receiver hook when the receiver is removed, and means for preventing the lowering of the receiver hook until after it has attained its highest position and for preventing the subsequent raising of the hook until after it has been brought to its lowest position.

9. In a telephone set, a receiver hook, a spring for raising said receiver hook when the receiver is removed, means for preventing the lowering of the receiver hook until after it has attained its highest position and for preventing the subsequent raising of the hook until after it has been brought to its lowest position, said means comprising a rack carried by said receiver hook, a spring pressed pivoted dog arranged to engage said rack, and means carried by said rack and arranged to engage the dog at the extremity of the upward and downward movements to shift the position of the dog with respect to the rack.

10. In a telephone set, a receiver hook, a spring for raising said receiver hook when the receiver is removed, means for preventing the lowering of the receiver hook until after it has attained its highest position and for preventing the subsequent raising of the hook until after it has been brought to its lowest position, said means comprising a rack carried by said receiver hook, a spring pressed pivoted dog arranged to engage said rack, means carried by said rack and arranged to engage the dog at the extremity of the upward and downward movements to shift the position of the dog with respect to the rack, said means comprising a rack carried by the receiver hook and being provided with an upper and a lower flange, and a spring pressed pivoted dog having two teeth each arranged to engage the rack when the other is out of engagement, one of said 20 THOMAS KERNAN.

\Vitnesses \V. N. NISKERN, C. E. UIDIKE.

Copies oi this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

. Washington, D. 0. 

